Teams

Switzerland

As in the past two years, the SHV will once again field a team of players born in 2004/05 this year. There is, however, a change on the sidelines: Petr Hrachovec, who took over as U21 head coach from Marcel Tobler last July.

After failing to qualify for the U21 World Championship in Poland, the focus last fall shifted to the U19 team. With the awarding of a wildcard around Christmas, preparations intensified once again. The first joint training camp was held

in early March in Schaffhausen, where Hrachovec fine-tuned processes and further instilled his playing philosophy. The APT is now the key component of the World Championship preparation. Facing three top nations, the tournament provides the perfect opportunity to test the team under competitive conditions. The recent successes at the APT demonstrate that the Swiss squad need not shy away from world-class opponents, either individually or as a team. In fact, in the last three editions, a Swiss player has claimed the tournament’s top scorer title—Valentin Wolfisberg, Gino Steenaerts, and Noam Leopold all finished at the top of the goal-scoring charts, underscoring the team's attacking prowess.

Switzerland will likely have to do without some key players in Kloten. Gino Steenaerts and Luca Sigrist, both of whom are now part of the senior national team, are expected to be competing simultaneously in the qualifiers for the Men’s EHF EURO 2026. Nonetheless, this age group boasts plenty of talent, ensuring that both fans and tournament organizers can once again look forward to a motivated Swiss team eager to showcase its best performance on home soil.

Source: Homepage SHV

Squad

Nr	Vorname	Familienname	Verein	Jahrgang	Position
-	Wyatt	Aellen	HC Kriens-Luzern	2005	Aussen Rechts
-	Tazio	Baumann	Pfadi Winterthur	2004	Aussen Links
-	Jan	Brülisauer	TSV St. Otmar St.Gallen	2004	Kreis Mitte
-	Nils	Flückiger	HC Kriens-Luzern	2005	Kreis Mitte
-	Nils	Kiener	Wacker Thun	2004	Aussen Rechts
-	Devin	Lang	BSV Stans	2004	Rückraum Rechts
-	Alex	Meier	BSV Stans	2004	Aussen Links
-	Silas	Müller	Kadetten Schaffhausen	2005	Rückraum Links
-	Sven	Näf	HC Kriens-Luzern	2004	Torhüter
-	Mischa	Romer	Pfadi Winterthur	2004	Kreis Mitte
-	Leandro	Römer	Wacker Thun	2004	Rückraum Mitte
-	Finley	Röttges	HC Kriens-Luzern	2004	Kreis Mitte
-	Nikos	Sarlos	HSC Suhr Aarau	2005	Aussen Links
-	Leo	Schnyder	BSV Bern	2005	Rückraum Rechts
-	Mathieu	Seravalli	BSV Bern	2004	Torhüter
-	Luca	Sigrist	HC Kriens-Luzern	2005	Rückraum Mitte
-	Gino	Steenaerts	HC Kriens-Luzern	2005	Aussen Rechts
-	Luc	Stettler	Wacker Thun	2004	Rückraum Mitte
-	André	Strauss	Kadetten Schaffhausen	2005	Torhüter
-	Maël	Tobler-Larocque	TSV St. Otmar St.Gallen	2004	Rückraum Links
-	Levin	Wanner	Pfadi Winterthur	2004	Rückraum Links
-	Neo	Wehrli	HSC Kreuzlingen	2005	Rückraum Mitte
-	Valentin	Wolfisberg	HC Kriens-Luzern	2004	Rückraum Links

Staff

Vorname	Familienname	Funktion
Petr	Hrachovec	Trainer
Lukas	Von Deschwanden	Co-Trainer
Dragan	Marjanac	TW-Trainer
Katrin	Stepanek	Physiotherapeut

Germany

The Airport Trophy is being held for the 14th time, and Germany is participating for the 14th year in a row. With six titles, the German team holds the record for the most wins in the tournament, having most recently triumphed in 2023.

However, their preparation for the World Cup in Poland didn't go as smoothly as planned. In

March, the team traveled to Egypt for two test matches. In the first game, they suffered a heavy 10-goal defeat against the reigning African champions, while the second match was a tight contest, with the hosts winning by three goals. Despite the losses, head coach Martin Heuberger saw the four-day trip as a valuable experience ahead of the World Cup. "This also included the rather unusual conditions in Egypt, such as the last-minute rescheduling of the match and the hand-painted lines just before the first game, as well as the heat, which will be similar to what we’ll face in Poland during the summer," explained the coach.

Before heading to Kloten, Heuberger arranged a brief training camp in early April to assess the team's current form and provide the players with individual training plans. The provisional squad includes several players who are regulars in the DAIKIN Handball Bundesliga, meaning fans and tournament organizers can expect a strong and competitive team. Familiar faces like Julian Buchele (the best goalkeeper of APT 23) will once again bring their exciting style of play to the tournament, continuing to add value year after year.

Source: Homepage DHB

Squad

Nr	Vorname	Familienname	Verein	Jahrgang	Position
21	Connar	Battermann	TV Großwallstadt	2004	Rückraum Links
1	Julian	Buchele	FA Göppingen / TV Großwallstadt	2004	Torhüter
4	Jarnes	Faust	TBV Lemgo	2004	Aussen Rechts
3	Nils	Greilich	SC DHfK Leipzig	2004	Aussen Links
13	Magnus	Grupe	HBW Balingen-Weilstetten	2004	Rückraum Mitte
8	Tim	Gömmel	HC Erlangen	2005	Aussen Rechts
5	Felix	Göttler	TuSEM Essen	2005	Rückraum Links
15	Max	Günther	VfL Potsdam	2004	Aussen Rechts
7	Fritz	Haake	Dessau-Roßlauer HV	2004	Rückraum Mitte
12	Frederik	Höler	VfL Potsdam	2004	Torhüter
10	Linus	Kutz	THW Kiel /TSV Altenholz	2005	Rückraum Mitte
9	Krischa	Leis	TSV Bayer Dormagen	2005	Rückraum Rechts
19	Georg	Löwen	HSG Wetzlar	2004	Kreis Mitte
2	David	Móré	Rhein-Neckar Löwen	2004	Aussen Links
11	Henri	Pabst	THW Kiel /TSV Altenholz	2004	Rückraum Rechts
14	Anton	Preußner	ASV Hamm Westfalen	2005	Rückraum Rechts
6	Nicholas	Schley	VfL Potsdam	2004	Kreis Mitte
17	Jan	Schmidt	TSV Bayer Dormagen	2005	Kreis Mitte
18	Friedrich	Schmitt	SC DHfK Leipzig	2004	Rückraum Links
20	Valentin	Willner	Rhein-Neckar Löwen	2005	Kreis Mitte

Staff

Vorname	Familienname	Funktion
Martin	Heuberger	Bundestrainer
Alexander	Koke	Co-Trainer
Richard	Haß	Physiotherapeut
Daniel	Sdunek	TW-Trainer
Götz-Bernhard	Haase	Teamarzt
Matthias	Trautvetter	Teammanager

France

France will be participating in the Airport Trophy for the 11th time this year. However, it is remarkable that their only tournament victory so far dates back to 2018 in Kloten.

The chances of "Les Bleus" reclaiming the title in 2025 look promising. Head coach Guillaume Joli’s team has made an impressive start to the year, winning four out of five matches.

Their dominant victories over Germany (34:28) and a depleted Spanish side (41:32) at the Four Nations Tournament in Portugal this January sent a strong signal. The team also impressed at the home Tiby Val d’Europe tournament in March, securing wins over Hungary and Spain, further cementing their status as World Championship contenders this summer.

Despite these successes, Joli still sees room for improvement: “We need to control our emotions better and stay more composed under pressure.” One key area for development remains efficiency in front of goal: “We create plenty of clear chances but don’t capitalize on them consistently enough. At the moment, our strong defense makes up for it,” the coach explains.

Over the years, future world-class players such as Dika Mem and Nedim Remili have showcased their talent in Kloten—a testament to the strength of France’s youth development system. This year, fans and tournament organizers can once again look forward to an athletic, dynamic team that will step onto the court with confidence, determined to claim their second Airport Trophy title.

Source: Homepage FFHB

Squad

Nr	Vorname	Familienname	Verein	Jahrgang	Position
-	Ylan	Augustine	Saint-Raphaël Var Handball	2004	Kreis Mitte
-	Belko	Ayeva	US Créteil HB	2005	Rückraum Rechts
-	Antoine	Baladi	US Ivry HB	2004	Kreis Mitte
-	Michal	Baran	Cesson Rennes Métropole HB	2004	Rückraum Links
-	Mathis	Becker Fischer	Montpellier Handball	2005	Rückraum Links
-	Lorenzo	Briant	Pau Billère Handball	2004	Rückraum Rechts
-	Romane	Carle	Sélestat AHB	2005	Torhüter
-	Dimitri	Claude	Chambéry Savoie Mont Blanc Handball	2005	Rückraum Links
-	Thibault	Dambacher	Montpellier Handball	2005	Rückraum Rechts
-	Eliott	Desblancs	Pays d’Aix UC	2004	Rückraum Mitte
-	Pierre Alexis	Favril	HBC Nantes	2004	Aussen Links
-	Amara	Karamoko	Paris Saint-Germain Handball	2005	Kreis Mitte
-	Henri	Kirtz	US Ivry HB	2004	Rückraum Rechts
-	Thomas	Martinon	Istres Provence Handball	2004	Aussen Rechts
-	Robin	Molliex	Pays d’Aix UC	2005	Aussen Rechts
-	Noa	Narcisse	Paris Saint-Germain Handball	2004	Rückraum Links / Mitte
-	Remi	Peyre	USAM Nîmes Gard	2004	Aussen Rechts
-	Tom	Pompom	Sélestat AHB	2005	Aussen Links
-	Kilian	Prat	Montpellier Handball	2004	Rückraum Links
-	Noé	Rataboul	Saint-Raphaël Var Handball	2005	Torhüter
-	Adrien	Seguin	Chambéry Savoie Mont Blanc Handball	2005	Torhüter
-	Mouhamadou	Sidibe	Pays d’Aix UC	2004	Kreis Mitte
-	Alban	Simonnet	Saran Loiret Handball	2004	Rückraum Mitte
-	Stanis	Soulier	Paris Saint-Germain Handball	2004	Torhüter
-	Nael	Tighiouart	C'Chartres Métropole Handball	2004	Aussen Links
-	Andre	Wenkegheu	HBC Nantes	2004	Kreis Mitte
-	Reyhan	Zuzo	Caen Handball	2005	Rückraum Mitte

Staff

Vorname	Familienname	Funktion
Guillaume	Joli	Trainer
Jérémy	Roussel	Co-Trainer
Mirko	Perisic	Co-Trainer
Yohann	Ploquin	TW-Trainer
Arnaud	Gaillard	Athletiktrainer
Eric	Renaud	Teamarzt
Thomas	Spinardi	Physiotherapeut
Alexis	Hualme	Head of Delegation

Spain

Spain, the reigning champion, will travel to Kloten looking to defend its title. The Iberians have not only topped the podium last year but also in each of their last three appearances at the tournament. The 2004/05 generation of the Hispanos Juniors is particularly accustomed to success and has rightfully been hailed by the Spanish press as a

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"Golden Generation." These players have won every possible title at the youth level, including the European and World Championships in the underage categories as well as the Junior European Championship.

This summer, they aim to add another World Championship title in Poland. However, their preparation under head coach Javier Fernández, known as Jabato, has not been entirely smooth. At the Four Nations Tournament in January, the team managed a draw against Germany but suffered defeats to Portugal and France. The heavy 10-goal loss to the French was particularly unexpected. Despite the mixed results, Jabato remained optimistic: "We must not forget that five key players were absent, as they were simultaneously engaged in a senior national team training camp," he explained.

It remains to be seen what lineup Spain will bring to Switzerland. In Kloten, organizers and fans alike hope to see many familiar faces. During the U21 training camp in March, both Pau Panitti Martínez (Best Goalkeeper of APT 2024) and Djordje Cikusa (MVP of APT 2024) were part of the squad—two players whose return would be especially welcomed by tournament organizers and fans.

Source: Homepage RFEBM

Squad

Nr	Vorname	Familienname	Verein	Jahrgang	Position
-	Jokin	Aja Gárate	C.D. Torrebalonmano	2004	Kreis Mitte
-	Josu	Arsoz Azofra	S.C.D.R. Anaitasuna	2004	Kreis Mitte
-	Ian	Barrufet Torrebejano	F.C. Barcelona	2004	Aussen Links
-	Javier	Carrión Ortiz	BM. Agustinos Alicante	2004	Rückraum Rechts
-	Djordje	Cikusa Jelicic	Montpellier Handball	2005	Rückraum Rechts
-	Petar	Cikusa Jelicic	F.C. Barcelona	2005	Rückraum Links
-	Alberto	Delgado Molina	Club Cisne BM.	2005	Aussen Rechts
-	Alejandro	Díaz Montero	BM. Caserio C.Real	2005	Aussen Links
-	Eduardo	Escobedo Romero	Club BM. Los Dólmenes	2005	Rückraum Links
-	Xavier	González Unciti	S.C.D.R. Anaitasuna	2004	Aussen Rechts
-	Oscar	Grau Ibáñez	F.C. Barcelona	2004	Rückraum Rechts
-	Pablo	Guijarro Moreno	BM. Granollers	2004	Aussen Links
-	Pablo	Herrero Polvorosa	C.D. BM. AT. Valladolid	2004	Rückraum Links
-	Javier	Miñambres Calvo	C.D. Ademar León BM	2004	Rückraum Mitte
-	Pau	Panitti Martínez	BM. Granollers	2004	Torhüter
-	Álvaro	Pérez Méndez	C.D. Ademar León BM	2005	Torhüter
-	Víctor	Romero Holguín	BM. Granollers	2004	Kreis Mitte
-	Samuel	Sáiz Rodríguez	C.D. Ademar León BM	2005	Rückraum Mitte

Staff

Vorname	Familienname	Funktion
Javier	Fernández López	Trainer
Carla	Abad Alonso	Team Manager
Vicente	Segura Páez	Physiotherapeut
Ángel	Quirós Infesta	Teamarzt
Jorge	Martínez Martínez	TW-Trainer
Alejandro	Mozas García	Co-Trainer

Teams

Switzerland

Source: Homepage SHV

Squad

Staff

Germany

Source: Homepage DHB

Squad

Staff

France

Source: Homepage FFHB

Squad

Staff

Spain

Squad

Staff

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Tournament review: Airport Trophy 2024

Teams

Switzerland

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Source: Homepage SHV​​​​

Squad

Staff

Menu

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Europe's Best at the Airport Trophy

Tournament review: Airport Trophy 2024

Source: Homepage SHV